Salvage-boat



J. BEGG.

SALVAGE BOAT.

APPLrcATloN FILED AUG.

j. BEGG.

SALVAGE BOAT.

APPLICATION FxLED Anas, 191.7.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

JONATHAN BEGG, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

SALVAG-E-BOAT.

Application filed August 9, 1917.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN BEGG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Salvage- Boats, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to improved means for raising sunken vessels, and the ob]ect is to provide means for lowering and manipulating grappling devices for taking hold of the bilge of the vessel to be raised, after which the power is applied to hoist the vessel and convey it to any point desired.

With these objects in view, this invention comprises two salvage boats suitably spaced or separated, and having grapples theiebetween for raising the wreck, the salvage boats being provided with open shafts therethrough from top to bottom to afford means for the passage of the cables which are employed to lower, control, and raise the grapples.

This invention consists in further details, which will be fully described in the specification, and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a plan view;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the center of one of the salvage boats;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation showing one salvage boat in transverse section;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view` corresponding to the right-hand side of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view, corresponding to Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section view, corresponding to Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail in perspective of a form of grapple; and

Fig. 8 is a modified view of the hoisting mechanism.

The numerals 1, 1, represent the two salvage boats, which may be of any approved construction, with means of propulsion, if desired, as shown at 3 in Fig. 3. Through the longitudinal center, a plurality of vertical shafts 2 are formed from top to bottom, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 6.

Booms 7, 7, with elastic ends 4 extend across from, and connect, the two salvage Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

Serial No. 185,380.

boats, they being located in position above the wreck 8 to be raised, at the time of raising.

lVhile various forms of grapples might be employed, I have shown a type, adapted to this work, in Fig. 3, and more in detail in Fig. 7. A cross-beain 24 is suitably reinforced with steel plates, or the like. The beam is provided with slots 25 at the ends to receive and admit of the back and forward movement of the grapple 26. It is understood that this grapple, and the parts to follow, are in duplicate, as shown, and consequently only one set will be specifically described, it being understood that the reference letters apply equally to both sets of mechanism.

Attached to the beam, and projecting downwardly therefrom, are the two arms 27, 27, constructed like the beam, and having their upper ends securely riveted or bolted thereto; and these arms are joined together at the bottom by a fastening 28, which is bolted to the lower ends of the arms, and through which the grapple 26 passes, it being pivoted thereto by means of the center bolt 29.

A. hinged metal shoe 30, having a facing of fabric, rubber, or other suitable material,

is attached to the lower end of the grapple for the purpose of fastening itself to the wreck at any angle. The lifting cables 10 and 23 are secured to the grapple, the cable 10 at the extreme upper end, and the cable 23 at a point 34 near the lower end of the grapple. Cable 23 is guided by the sheaves 32 and 33 supported by the cross-beam 24, and thence both lifting cables 10 and 23 are guided beneath the double sheaves 31 (which may be located side by side, or one above the other), whence both cables eX- tend up over sheaves 22 on the parallel kecls 20, as shown in Figs. 8, 4 and 6, after which the two cables preferably eXtend in opposite directions over the sheaves 13, be-

tween the standards 14, and thence to the capstans 15, which are of an ordinary type of construction, and by means of which the cables are wound or unwound.

Located between the standards 14 and the eapstans 15 are the grooved automatic clamps 16, which hold the cable pulled through them, same idea as used in pulling up telephone wire.

From the foregoing, it will be understood the grapples are thus provided with two cables, one at the upper end on one side of the fulcrum 29, and the other on the other side, and the tension thereon is in unison, and has the e'ect of forcing the metal shoes of the grapples Securely against the boat to be raised.

It is obvious that electro-magnets may be used in place of the grapples in Very deep sea work, where it is found that grapples are somewhat ineflicient.

Guide-rope 11, attached to the grapple by clevis 86, passes around a sheave 35 at the end of the beam 24, after which this rope 11 passes up through its respective shaft and over a sheave 13 to one of the capstans `15. This rope 11 is provided as a means for'pulling the grapples back out of the way.

All sheaves may be hooded where necessary.

In Fig. 8, I have shown a modified view of hoisting mechanism consisting of a row of hydraulic jacks 6, 6, located on each side of the row of vertical shafts 2, 2. On

- the end of each jack is a ball bearing sheave 13 over which the cable passes. The jack may be stationed nearer the capstan 15 than the shaft. The jack piston moves outward, thereby pulling in a portion of cable. The clamp 16 automatically grips and holds the cable while the jack piston returns. This leaves the cable slack between clamp and capstan, whereupon it is wound up on the capstan, after which the operation is repeated. The amount of cable taken in by each such operation may vary from the fraction of an inch to the length of the stroke of the ack piston. derstood that the jacks all along the deck operate simultaneously and are controlled in their action by the main valve 40 from the pressure pump.

The construction of the salvage boats may vary according to requirements, but, in the particular form illustrated, they are of timber with iron fastenings 17 joining the timbers where half-lapped, and there are ribs 18 at intervals, preferably two between each set of sheaves or capstans, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6,

Before work of actually raising a vessel begins, all cables are put under the same tension by use of a dynamometer which works in connection with the capstan and clutch. This is done at low tide. The idea is to have the strain on all cables the same whenthe work of raising the vessel begins.

There are preferably two decks 19 supported-by these ribs. Between decks and on each side of the shafts are trestles 21 formed of timber, with iron bindings, for

It must be un the purpose of strengthening the decks so as to be sufiicient to sustain the weight of the vessels being raised, as shown in Fig. 4. The lining 37 of the boats is preferably of three-inch planks, the joints of which are made water-tight. By connecting electromagnets with the grapples, and providing steel wire cables extending therefrom, large steel or iron vessels can be raised by applying a current thereto.

It is understood, of course, that various modifications might be made Awithout departing from the invention described, it being my intention to cover broadly the idea of boats having the vertical shafts through which the grapples are controlled and operated, as well as the other features employed in connection therewith.

I claim:

1. The combination with a beam, arms projecting downwardly therefrom, curved grapples pivoted centrally thereof to the lower ends of the arms, lifting-cables connected with each grapple on opposite sides of the pivotal point thereof, and a third cable 'connected to the grapples below the pivotal point for withdrawing said grapples horizontally.

2. The combination with a beam, arms projecting downwardly therefrom, curved grapples pivoted centrally thereof to the lower ends of the arms, said grapples having shoes hinged to their inner ends, liftingcables connected with each grapple on opposite sides of the pivotal point thereof, one imparting a horizontal pull on the grapple and the other imparting substantially a vertical pull, and a third cable connected to the grapples below the pivotal point thereof adapted to withdraw the grapple horizontally.

3. The combination with a beam, arms projecting downwardly therefrom, curved grapples pivoted centrally thereof to the lower ends of the arms, the outer free ends of which are adapted to extend substantially vertically above the horizontal beam, said grapples having shoes hinged to their inner ends, lifting cables connected with each grapple on opposite sides of the pivotal point thereof, one attached to the outer free end of the grapple and arranged in such a manner as to impart a horizontal pull upon the grapple, the other connected below the pivotal point of said grapple and arranged to impart substantially a vertical pull upon the same, anda third cable connected to the grapple below its pivotal point adapted to withdraw said grapple horizontally.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JONATHAN BEGG. 

